Love and War
by Broken Angel01
Summary: After missing the tournament a year ago, Rika is determined to show everyone she's still the Digimon Queen. There's only one thing causing her to lose her focus, and his name is Ryo Akiyama.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Nobody panic! The only reason I'm posting this story is because it's going to be short. Five chapters at the most. FTFOD and MBFG are still my main priorities. Unfortunately I'm having writer's block for my next Harry Potter chapter, but I will get back to that story as soon as I can. Now, I'm not very fond of Ryo and Rika as a couple, but I've decided to write a romance with them because I think it will be an interesting challenge. I prefer Henry and Rika so you all better enjoy this! Oh, and they all look the same as they did in the show so I won't bother describing them. Please review! Your feedback is my inspiration.

Love and War

Chapter 1

_Rika Nonaka_

"I can't believe those kids actually think I'm scared! Obviously they've never seen me in action before! If they think they're going to make it to the top in the digimon tournament this year, they can forget it! I'm going to wipe the floor with each and every one of them!"

Fourteen year old Rika Nonaka glared at the digimon cards spread out in front of her on the grass and clenched her right hand into a fist. She was sitting next to the small pond that stood in front of her house, and there was an intense look of concentration on her face.

_No one laughs at me and gets away with it!_

"Rika!"

"Huh?"

She looked up at the sound of someone calling her name and spotted her friend Takato coming towards her. "What do you want, goggle-head? Can't you see I'm busy here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fourteen year old Takato Matsuki sat down next to her and rolled his eyes. "Is it really so hard for you to just say hello?"

"I told you, I'm busy. I don't have time for idle chit-chat," she shot back, picking up one of her cards and throwing it aside.

Takato let out a sigh and smiled slightly. "I guess I can still dream."

"Yeah," she smirked. "You're good at that!"

"What are you doing?" Takato asked, giving her a curious look.

_Can't a girl practice in peace around here?_

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Takato's brown eyes lit up with excitement, and he smiled at her. "Henry told me you're planning to compete in the tournament again this year."

"That's right, goggle-head. If you're planning on entering, I suggest you back out now!"

"Why?" he asked, giving her a suspicious look.

She smiled innocently at him and shrugged. "We might be friends now, Takato, but that doesn't mean I'm not still planning on kicking your butt from here to the other end of Shinjuku! All is fair in love and war, little boy, and let's face it. You don't stand a chance against me!"

"Hey! That was before I became a real Digimon Tamer! You might be surprised by how much I've learned since then!"

"Whatever," she snorted, handing him one of her cards. "You want this?"

Takato looked at it and sighed. "Why are people always giving me their useless cards?"

Rika raised an eyebrow, and Takato glared at her. "Don't even think about answering that question!"

"What makes you think I was going to say anything?"

Takato gave her a dirty look and turned to stare up at the late afternoon sky. "I bet you would have won last year if we hadn't ended up going to the Digital World."

"Are you kidding? Of course I would have won!" she shouted, hitting her fist on the edge of the pond with frustration. "Have you seen the guy who did win? He's a total joke!"

Takato studied her face and smiled. "Maybe, but you were helping us save the world. Two worlds, to be exact. That's much more important than any card game."

"You're right," she said softly. "That's one of the reasons why I'm competing in the tournament this year. It's my way of passing the time until Renamon returns to me."

"Do you really think Guilmon and the others will come back someday?" Takato asked, frowning slightly.

"You saw that portal in Guilmon's hideout, just before it disappeared. Don't start doubting yourself now. They'll be back, but until then, Renamon is with me in spirit."

Takato nodded and suddenly grinned. "So why are you really competing in the tournament this year?"

"There are a whole bunch of rumours going around about why I didn't compete last year," she muttered. "Most people think it's because I chickened out after becoming champion the year before. Can you believe them? They think I'm scared I'm going to lose my title! Nobody calls me a coward and gets away with it! The Digimon Queen is back, and she's going to make the rest of those so-called Tamers look like amateurs!"

"I figured that had to be the reason why you wanted to compete again this year!" Takato laughed.

"You've heard the rumours, too?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. Henry and I have been defending you every step of the way!"

"Thanks," she said softly, feeling suddenly warm inside.

Takato's mouth fell open, and he stared at her in surprise. "Did you just say thank you?"

"Don't get use to it!" she snapped, her face turning red.

"Hey, Rika?" Takato said innocently, pretending to study one of her cards. "Did you know Ryo's entering the tournament, too?"

"What?" she shrieked, dropping the handful of cards that she had been holding.

_He's not serious, is he?_

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Takato said, looking amused. "I thought for sure he would have told you. I just heard yesterday when Henry and I met up with him in the park."

Rika stared at him in shock, unable to reply.

_Why would Ryo be competing in the tournament this year? I thought he would have given up that sort of thing after spending so much time in the Digital World. After all, the card game is nothing compared to the real thing!_

She had not seen much of Ryo in the past year because he had always been too busy entertaining his fans. Ryo's sudden reappearance in Shinjuku last year had caused the whole city to sit up and take notice. Not wanting to cause a scene, Ryo had kept the truth about his disappearance a secret. Unfortunately that had only made people even more interested to find out what had happened. Now he could not go anywhere without a flock of people following him around.

At first they had remained close, but then Ryo had started to drift away from her.

As usual, her pride had gotten in the way of her true feelings, and she had not made any kind of an effort to keep in touch with him. Despite the fact that it had been a whole year since their adventures in the Digital World, she could not seem to stop thinking about him.

_Who am I kidding? Ryo doesn't need me. I've barely even had a chance to see him in the last couple of months. He's probably forgotten all about me. Boys. Who needs them anyway?_

There was only one problem. Her heart and her head could not seem to agree on anything when it came to Ryo.

"Why?" she asked quietly, avoiding Takato's eyes. "He already won the tournament a few years ago, remember? He won the year before I did, right before he mysteriously disappeared."

"You mean right before he went to the Digital World."

"Exactly," she murmured. "What is there left for him to do? What exactly is he trying to prove?"

Takato shook his head and shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe he feels the same way you do, and that's why he wants his title back."

"No way," she said quietly. "That doesn't make any sense. He doesn't have anything to prove the way I do. Everybody already worships the ground he walks on since he's the 'Legendary Tamer' and all. There must be something else..."

"You could be right. He was acting really funny when Henry told him you were competing in the tournament this year, as well," Takato said slowly. "That was when he told us about his plan to compete this year."

"Really?" Her eyes narrowed into a frown, and she crossed her arms. "He's up to something. I know it."

"But what?"

"After I kick his butt in the tournament, I'll let you know. Until then, Ryo had better do some serious practicing because there's no way he's going to defeat me!" she said, standing up and glaring at her reflection in the pond. "I'm going to show Mr. Perfect what it really means to battle!"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous!" Takato laughed, getting to his feet.

"Please," she snorted, crossing her arms. "As if I would ever be jealous of him! Stupid Ryo, with his stupid smile! He's always trying to steal the show. I can't stand guys like him! If I hear one more girl say he's cute, I'm going to be sick to my stomach!"

"Are you sure you're not jealous?"

"If you mention that wannabe Tamer again, you're going to wish you had never set foot here!"

"All right, all right," Takato replied, holding out his hands and backing away from her. "One more thing. If I were you, I'd focus less on Ryo and more on the tournament. You've only got one more day to practice, and you're going to have to be at your best if you want to beat him. Even you can't deny the fact that he's a great Tamer, Rika."

"Takato," she said sweetly, "get out of my sight before I shove those goggles down your throat!"

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," Takato replied, turning and heading back towards the street.

Rika slowly sank to the ground again and stared sadly at her reflection in the pond. "I am going to beat Ryo, and I'm going to show him that it's not very nice to mess around with someone elses feelings!"

Although she would never admit it to Takato, she did care. She cared a lot.

_It doesn't matter how many female fans Ryo has. He's going to find out that none of them are ever going to compare to me. I'm not the type of girl a guy tends to forget, and Mr. Legendary Tamer is about to learn that the hard way!_

She had to beat Ryo. It was the only chance she had to get him to notice her again.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I lied! This will be my last update until after New Years. Happy Holidays everyone!

Love and War

Chapter 2

_Ryo Akiyama_

"Ryo, over here!"

Ryo looked up at the sound of Henry's voice and spotted his friend sitting on a bench with Kazu.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" he asked, sitting down next to Henry.

"Hey, Ryo," Henry said, giving him a warm smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with us to the park today. The whole gang is going to be there."

He raised his eyebrows and gave Henry a long look. "That depends. Is Rika going to be there?"

"If Takato can manage to convince her to come."

Ryo felt his stomach flutter and quickly lowered his eyes to the ground. "I don't know. Maybe that's not such a good idea. Rika probably doesn't want to be anywhere near me right now!"

_I wouldn't want to be near me if I was her!_

He knew she was angry at him. That had been obvious during the rare moments they had spent together in the last year.

_If only I knew why. It's not like she cares about me or anything. If she did, she wouldn't be acting this way! Wait, what am I saying? This is Rika we're talking about! She'd rather chew rocks than admit her feelings for anyone! What is up with that girl? She's as stubborn as a mule, only a mule has more sense!_

During their adventures in the Digital World, he had thought she might have feelings for him. Unfortunately that idea had flown right out the window after they had gotten back to the real world. Everyday she had started to grow a little more cold and a little more distant towards him.

He knew it was partly his fault. He should have made more of an effort to spend time with her, but so many people wanted to hang around him these days that he barely even had time to think anymore.

_I wish people would stop treating me like I'm some sort of celebrity. I'm not, and I never will be. I just want to hang out with my real friends and win Rika's heart. Is that really so much to ask?_

"Ryo? Dude, are you in there?"

Ryo blinked and turned to look at Kazu who was grinning at him. "Huh?"

"Man, you really are out of it today. Listen, chumly. Don't let Rika stop you from hanging out with us. If she starts to give you a hard time, we'll steal all of her digimon cards and turn them into confetti! That way she won't be able to compete in the tournament tomorrow! Besides, you promised you'd help me practice today. It's the only way I'll stand a chance against Rika in the tournament. Just don't tell her I said that!"

"Alright," he sighed. "But don't blame me if Rika throws a fit!"

"Trust me," Henry muttered. "We're use to it by now!"

"Yeah, girls are crazy," Kazu said, stretching out his legs and crossing his arms. "Especially Rika. She's the craziest girl I know! You're better off without her, my friend."

"If only that were true."

"Are you still planning on using the tournament to change Rika's mind about you?" Henry whispered softly in his ear.

He nodded and turned to gaze up at the bright morning sky. At first he had not been planning on competing in the tournament, but then Henry and Takato had ended up changing his mind. When Henry had told him Rika was going to be competing, it had given him an idea. He was going to use the tournament to get on Rika's good side again. He did not really care if he won or lost. All he cared about was Rika. It was the only chance he had of getting close to her again, and he was going to use it.

Henry was the only person who knew the real reason why he was entering the tournament, and his friend had been nothing but supportive. Takato had also helped change his mind because the goggle-headed Tamer's enthusiasm had rubbed off on him. Both Kazu and Takato knew he liked Rika, but neither one of them had made a guess as to why he was really entering the tournament.

_That doesn't mean they're not going to find out eventually. I can tell they're already suspicious of me. In fact, I bet they've already figured out why I want to compete this year._

"Good luck," Henry murmured, smiling slightly. "You're going to need it!"

"Come on, Ryo. Let's hurry up and get to the park before Rika really does throw a fit!" Kazu said, getting to his feet. "Besides, I've got some practicing to do!"

Ryo smiled and nodded. "Alright. Hey, Kazu. I might be able to help you defeat Rika in the tournament, but there's no way you're going to be able to defeat me!"

Kazu elbowed him in the side and grinned. "We'll see about that!"

They quickly headed towards the park, and Ryo smiled at the sight of Kenta and Jeri coming towards them.

"Well, it's about time you guys got here! We've been waiting forever!" Kenta complained.

"Keep your socks on. Better late than never, as I always say!" Kazu shot back. "Where are Takato and Rika?"

"They haven't arrived yet," Jeri explained. "I hope Takato can convince Rika to join us. She sounded like she was in a bad mood when I talked to her over the phone yesterday."

"Rika's always in a bad mood!" Kazu joked.

Ryo stared at Jeri in surprise and frowned.

_That's weird. Why would Rika be in a bad mood? She doesn't even know I'm competing in the tournament yet!_

"Hey, Jeri. How are you?" Henry asked.

"Just peachy," Jeri replied, giving Henry a big smile. "I don't think the same can be said for Rika, though!"

Jeri had improved a lot since the day she had lost Leomon. She had seemed much happier in the last few months, and he was pretty sure Takato had something to do with her sudden change in attitude.

"Will you let go of me, goggle-head? I can walk on my own, you know!"

Ryo glanced up at the sound of Rika's voice, and his heart leaped into his throat.

Takato had a hand on Rika's arm, and the goggle-headed Tamer was dragging her towards them. Rika's bright blue eyes were blazing with anger, and she looked like she was ready to punch Takato in the face.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" she shouted. "You tricked me, on purpose! You knew for a fact I would never have agreed to come along if I'd known Ryo was going to be here!"

"Why do you think I didn't tell you earlier?" Takato shot back.

Ryo felt his heart sink, and he turned just in time to see Henry give him a sympathetic smile.

_How am I ever going to win her heart if she doesn't even want to see me?_

"She doesn't mean that," Jeri said softly, gazing into his eyes. "I know she doesn't."

He stared into his friend's eyes for a moment and frowned.

_Does she know something about Rika the rest of us don't know?_

Takato came to a stop in front of them, and Ryo found himself staring into Rika's cold, blue eyes.

His heart sank like a rock.

_She knows I'm competing in the tournament. I can tell._

"Well, well," she said, giving him a look of pure loathing. "If it isn't the Legendary Tamer himself. If you think you can beat me in the digimon tournament tomorrow, forget it! Even the best Tamers have to face defeat once in a while, and you're no exception, Ryo. We're finally going to find out who's the better Tamer, and I have a feeling I'm the one who's going to come out on top! You better have your cards ready, Ryo, because this is one war I intend to win!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I'm updating FTFOD next. Please review! The next chapter for this story will be better.

Love and War

Chapter 3

_Rika Nonaka_

"Rika, I see you're as charming as ever," Ryo said, crossing his arms and giving her a small smile.

Rika stared at him for a moment and frowned. For a second there, she could have sworn he had looked a little uneasy.

_No way. I must be imagining things. Ryo's never anything but confident!_

"There you are, Rika. It's about time you showed up. I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost!" Kazu said, putting an arm around Ryo's shoulders.

"Nice one, Kazu. Your jokes get lamer everyday!"

"Hey, Rika, are you ready to face defeat at this year's digimon tournament?" Kazu asked, raising an eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes and let out a snort. "Against you? Please. You're hardly a challenge!"

She had found out a while ago that Kazu was entering the tournament, and she was not the least bit worried.

Kazu grinned and gave her a look. "So, the Digimon Queen's afraid to face defeat, huh?"

"Right, and you're afraid to face reality!"

"I'm glad you decided to show up," Jeri said, taking Takato's arm and giving her a warm smile.

Rika managed to smile back at her female friend and sighed. Jeri was the only person who knew how she really felt about Ryo, and she had made the other girl swear never to tell anyone. So far, Jeri had kept her promise.

"You said it yourself, Rika. Even the best Tamers have to face defeat once in a while, and I'm taking you down!" Kazu said.

"Hello? Digimodify, loser activate!" she shot back, poking him in the chest.

"You might be able to defeat Kazu, but you won't defeat me!" Ryo said, smiling innocently at her.

"You wish!" she snapped, turning her back on him.

Ryo gently tugged on the end of her ponytail, and he stepped in front of her. "Hey, Rika, did you miss me?" he asked, smiling slightly.

"About as much as I'd miss a bad rash!"

Ryo raised his eyebrows and studied her face. "Is this your way of playing hard to get?"

"Yeah right, Ryo. You're so not worth the effort!" she snapped.

_I can't believe him! He's so full of himself!_

She turned her back on him again and quickly headed for the forest that stood at the edge of the park. The others followed after her, and they sat down in the shade of the trees.

"If you think I came here to see you, forget it!" she said, turning up her nose.

Ryo sat down next to her and shrugged, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "If you say so."

Her original plan had been to avoid Ryo until she came face to face with him in the tournament. Unfortunately that idea was no longer going to work, thanks to Takato. Now she did not know what to do. She wanted to be angry with him, but for some reason she was finding it difficult to stay mad. She was also finding it hard to concentrate with him sitting so close to her.

_Stupid Ryo! Why does he always have to make me care so much?_

"Can't you two at least try to get along?" Henry asked, sitting down on her other side and giving them both a stern look.

"Tell that to Mr. Perfect!" she muttered, making a face.

"I never realized you thought so highly of me," Ryo replied, giving her a wicked smile. "I'm touched!"

Rika elbowed him in the ribs and rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, Ryo!"

He gazed at her for a moment and sighed. "If only."

She stared suspiciously at him, and he gave her a faint smile.

_What does he mean by that? Is he making fun of me or something?_

"Well, at least Rika has someone else to beat up on instead of me!" Takato laughed.

He wrapped an arm around Jeri and smiled at her, and the female Tamer smiled back at him.

"Lucky me!" Ryo said dryly.

Kenta laughed and patted his shoulder. "It's a good thing you're here, Ryo."

"Yeah. Having you around gives Rika someone else to harass, besides Kenta and myself!" Kazu joked.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you two," she smirked. "You guys are more useless than pretty boy here, and that's saying something!"

"You'll be changing your tune real quick after I beat you in the tournament," Ryo said smoothly.

"News flash, Ryo. You're the one who's going to be changing your tune after I win the tournament. In other words, you're going down like a ton of bricks!" she shot back, making a fist with her hand.

"So much for getting along!" Takato muttered.

Jeri gave her a look, but Rika ignored it. Instead, she turned to Ryo and stared hard at his face. "Why are you competing in the tournament anyway?" she asked quietly.

Ryo smiled slightly and shrugged. "I wanted to give you a little competition. Let's face it, Rika, you'd win easily without me there!"

"Hey!" Kazu shouted.

Rika stared down at the grass and frowned.

_He's lying. I can tell. That's a stupid reason for wanting to enter the tournament. There must be another reason, but what could it be?_

"You're lying," she said bluntly.

Ryo exchanged a quick look with Henry, and his face turned serious. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Will you quit talking in riddles?" she shouted, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "I know there must be a reason why you're entering the tournament this year, and it has nothing to do with wanting to win. You've already won, and you have nothing to prove like I do! You'd better give me a decent explanation or you're going to be sorry you ever entered the tournament in the first place!"

"Ryo..." Henry gave the other boy a meaningful look, but Ryo just shook his head.

"Well?" she demanded.

_What is going on with those two? Are they hiding something from me?_

She glanced at the rest of her friends, but Jeri and the others just looked confused.

"Maybe it's because I enjoy your company so much!" Ryo said, blowing her a kiss.

Rika felt her face heat up, and she quickly scrambled to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Kenta asked, giving her a curious look.

"If you're trying to distract me from the tournament, it's not going to work!" she shouted, ignoring Kenta and giving Ryo a murderous look. "I'm out of here! See you goggle-heads later."

"Rika, wait!" Jeri cried, leaping to her feet.

Rika turned to look at her and made a face. "What?"

"You can't leave now! You just got here!"

"Sorry, Jeri, but I have to practice for the tournament, and I know Ryo does. He's going to need all the practice he can get to beat me!"

"You're not leaving because of me, are you?" Ryo asked, pretending to look hurt.

"I'll see you at the tournament," she replied, turning on her heel and heading towards the street.

_How dare he pretend to be interested in me! I'll show him!_

Unfortunately, despite her thoughts, the ache in her heart still remained.

_Ryo Akiyama_

"Well, you really blew it this time," Henry said, giving him a sympathetic smile.

_No kidding. I knew she was angry at me, but I didn't expect her to be this mad!_

"I know," he mumbled, making a face.

Jeri patted his arm and smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry, Ryo, she'll come around."

He let out a sigh and shook his head. "I doubt it, Jeri."

"What kind of an attitude is that?" Kazu said, punching him lightly on the arm. "You have to put up more of a fight if you want to win a girl's heart."

"And if that girl happens to be Rika, then you're going to have to win her over before she tramples you!" Kenta muttered.

"Since when have you two become experts on girls?" Takato asked, looking amused.

"I think you guys had better let me give out the advice from now on!" Jeri laughed.

Ryo jumped to his feet and smiled at her. "Actually, Jeri, I think Kazu might be right!"

Jeri blinked at him in surprise, and he turned to stare off down the street Rika had used only seconds earlier. "I'm going after her."

"Good for you, Ryo," Kazu said, patting him on the back. "There's only one problem. You're not going anywhere until you've helped me practice for the tournament!"

"Alright." He let out a deep sigh, and pulling out his cards, he motioned for Kazu to sit down across from him. "Let's get this over with."

Kazu nodded and turned to look at Jeri. "See? I'm useful for something, even if Rika doesn't think so!"

"Of course you are!" Jeri replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Ryo glanced towards the street again and frowned.

_I have to find a way to get through to Rika, no matter what it takes. I just hope it's not too late for us to start over again..._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon.

A/N: I'll be updating MBFG as soon as I can, and this story should be finished soon. Please review!

Love and War

Chapter Four

_Rika Nonaka_

Rika knelt next to the pond located in the centre of her front lawn and stared at her reflection. The sun was starting to set, and a slight breeze sent small ripples rolling across the water.

_Stupid Ryo! His ego's so big it's amazing his head hasn't exploded yet!_

She let out a sigh and frowned at her reflection. "How am I supposed to figure out whether or not he cares about me when he's always joking around all the time?" she muttered, making a face.

Earlier that day, she had been tempted to tell Ryo how she really felt about him. After the way things had turned out, though, she was glad she had remained silent.

_I can't believe how close I came to making a fool out of myself. It's not fair! Why does he have to have such a huge effect on me?_

She knew why, but that did not make her feel any better. As much as she did not want to admit it, she had fallen head over heels in love with a boy who was more than enough of a match for her.

_Typical. I have to go and fall for the most arrogant boy on the planet. Well, I've never been one to back down from a challenge. Maybe that's why I like him so much. Life would get pretty boring if I fell for a guy who was too afraid to stand up to me! He is fun to argue with, and that always spices things up a bit!_

She smiled to herself and turned to gaze at her digimon cards, which were lying next to her in the grass.

_I wish there was a way I could tell him how I feel without having to actually say the words!_

The smile faded from her face, and she gave the cards in front of her a dirty look. The digimon tournament was tomorrow, and she still did not have a clue what to do about Ryo. He had definitely noticed her again, but that did not seem to make any difference. He was still acting as if he could care less how she felt about him.

_Somehow I'm going to have to find a way to make him tell me how he really feels about me. That's why I have to win the tournament. If I win, it'll prove to Ryo that I'm his equal and that I'm not someone to be taken lightly. Maybe then he'll realize how special I am. I've never pictured him as the type of guy who would want to date a girl with no spine. I have all of that and more, so why is he acting like I mean nothing to him?_

"Sometimes he'll act as if he's interested in me, but I know for a fact he isn't. This whole thing is nothing but a big joke to him!" she said angrily, crossing her arms and glaring at the trees for good measure.

She turned her back on the pond, and the anger faded from her eyes. "Oh, Ryo," she whispered, "why can't you care about me as much as I care about you?"

She let out a sigh and started to gather up her cards. She was about to head back inside when she heard a sudden noise. It sounded like a twig snapping. She froze in her tracks and glanced nervously towards the street.

"Who's there?" she snapped, her voice trembling slightly.

The sun was starting to set quickly now, and she had to squint in order to make out any unwanted visitors that might be hiding within the trees.

No one answered, and her heart began to fill with sudden fear.

"Who's there?" she called out again, glancing frantically towards the street.

"Relax, Rika, it's just me," a voice answered.

Rika stiffened as Ryo suddenly appeared out of the shadows, and her heart began to pound with sudden excitement. He slowly headed towards her, and she felt her face heat up.

"What do you want?" she snapped, ignoring the sudden butterflies in her stomach.

"You're in a bad mood today, aren't you," he replied, looking amused.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "Like you would know! Well? Are you going to answer me, or not?"

"I just want to talk," he said softly, his blue eyes sparkling with sudden emotion.

"Yeah, well I don't!" she snapped, turning her back on him.

Ryo stared at her for a moment and gently put a hand on her arm. "Is this about what happened earlier?"

"You wish!" she snapped, yanking her arm away.

Ryo sighed and gave her a small smile. He stepped closer to her, and she let out a gasp when he suddenly brushed a stry strand of hair off her face. "Why are you doing this, Rika?"

"Doing what?" she asked, feeling confused. His fingers were warm against the side of her face, and she was starting to feel a little bit dizzy.

"Why are you really competing in the tournament?" he asked, gazing into her eyes.

She blushed and quickly looked away from him. "I can't let everyone go on thinking I'm too chicken to compete in the tournament again. I'm not a coward, and I'm going to prove it to all of those wannabe Tamers out there!"

"So you say," he murmured, smiling slightly. "How did you find out I was competing in the tournament this year?"

"Takato told me," she muttered, giving him a dirty look. He seemed so calm, and that was making her extremely angry. It was all she could do not to punch him right in the gut!

Ryo gave her a warm smile and nodded his head. "I thought so. What's the matter, Rika? You don't seem very happy about the fact that I'm competing in the tournament this year. I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to show everyone that you're a better Tamer than I am!"

"Get away from me!" she snapped, pushing his hand away. "I don't need to defeat you to prove I'm the better Tamer! Anyone with half a brain already knows that. You don't come anywhere close to being as good as I am!"

Ryo crossed his arms and gave her a long look. "There's another reason why you're entering the tournament this year, isn't there? I can tell. Winning back your title may have been your original reason for entering, but I think your priorities have changed since then. I get the feeling you have a bigger goal now, and I will find out what it is. In the end, I always do."

Rika stared at him in disbelief, and her face turned red with anger. "Get off my lawn, Ryo!"

Ryo laughed and shook his head. "You'll never change, will you?"

"I can't be anyone else, Ryo, and you know it!" she smirked.

Ryo raised his eyebrows, and a small smile slipped across his face. "What's with the attitude?"

She gave him a sweet smile in return and patted his arm. "I wouldn't be me without it!"

"That's for sure!" Ryo rolled his eyes and made a face at her. "You talk tough, but we'll see who's on top after I beat you in the tournament tomorrow!"

"Please, you're a rookie compared to me!"

"We'll see about that when everyone starts calling me the Digimon King!"

She let out loud snort and rolled her eyes. "King of the losers, maybe!"

"Don't worry. I'll have you eating your words tomorrow!"

"And I'll have you choking on yours!"

Ryo shrugged and did not reply. He did not look at all worried. In fact, he appeared almost to be bored with the whole conversation!

"It looks like we have ourselves a bit of a challenge," he said calmly.

"You bet we do, and I'm going to win!"

"Really."

"Yes!" she snapped. "And you know why, Ryo? It's because I always win, and I always get what I want!"

Ryo's eyes flickered with sudden emotion, and he sighed. "I wish I did."

_What is that supposed to mean?_

She frowned at him and studied his face. He seemed rather quiet all of a sudden, and he was no longer gloating like he had been earlier.

_Stupid Ryo! He's just trying to make me let down my guard!_

"You really think you can beat me?" he asked, looking skeptical.

His ego was back in full force, and Rika felt her anger boil over again. "I mean it, Ryo!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Get off my lawn, or I will kick you off myself!"

Ryo held up his hands and quickly backed away from her. "Alright. I'll leave, if that's what you want, but not until you tell me why you're so set on defeating me in the tournament."

"I'm not telling you anything until you tell me the real reason why you're competing this year!"

Ryo slowly stepped towards her and placed a warm hand against her cheek. "Isn't it obvious?"

Her heart started to race, and she felt her cheeks turn pink. "What do you mean?" she asked, giving him a suspicious look.

He stepped closer to her, and her breath caught in her throat. He was so close she could feel the heat of his skin surrounding her body.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" he murmured, his eyes glued to her face.

She blushed and quickly turned her face away from him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Now get off my lawn before I start to get really angry, or you're going to be one sorry Tamer!"

"You feel it, too. I know you do, and I'm going to prove it," he whispered softly. "Why else would you be acting like this?"

"I'm not acting any different than I normally do!" she snapped, feeling extremely frustrated.

_What is he going on about?_

Ryo gave her a mysterious smile and took another step closer to her. She could feel his heart beating against her own and another gasp of surprise escaped her mouth.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered softly in her ear.

She was about to tell him to get lost when he suddenly leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek. His lips were warm against her skin, and she shivered.

_Is this really happening to me?_

Ryo slowly pulled away from her and smiled. The expression on his face made it impossible for her to tell what he was thinking, but she had a feeling she was going to find out.

"Good night," he whispered before turning away from her and disappearing into the shadows.

She stared after him in shock and slowly raised a hand to her cheek. She could still feel the warmth of his lips against the side of her face, and it made her toes tingle. Her skin felt like it was on fire.

"Good night, Ryo, and good luck," she whispered softly.

She was pretty sure he had not heard her words, and she was glad. If he had heard the tone of her voice at that moment, he would have known right away how she really felt about him, and that was something she could not reveal until she was sure he loved her back.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon.

A/N: Last Chapter! I'm sorry if you think it's really horrible, but it was hard to write, so I hope I did a good enough job. It's hard to create a spark between characters who aren't a favorite couple of yours. This chapter is lameness and total sap. You'll have maple syrup running out of your ears when you're done. Thanks everyone for your reviews, and I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

Love and War

Chapter 5

_Rika Nonaka_

Rika pushed her way towards the front of the huge crowd that had gathered in the park and frowned. Everyone was there to watch the digimon tournament, which had started a few hours ago, and they seemed to be enjoying the competition. Unfortunately she had a sneaking suspicion most of them were only there to see Ryo.

_Of course. They would never miss an opportunity to watch their hero in action!_

Ryo was currently competing in one of the two semifinal matches, and it looked like he was well on his way to making the final round.

_Why am I not surprised? Well, I did have a feeling Ryo and I were going to end up facing each other in the last match, and now, because of him, I'm going to end up working twice as hard to win my title back!_

At first she had wanted to face Ryo in the final round, but now she was having second thoughts. Defeating Ryo would give her a chance to prove to him that she was the better Tamer, and it was also a perfect opportunity to spark his interest in her again. That was something she had to do, even if it killed her, otherwise she would never work up enough courage to tell him how she felt. Unfortunately she had a feeling all of her efforts were going to end up being for nothing, and that was why she was starting to second guess herself.

_He didn't seem that interested when he found out I was competing in the tournament this year. If only there was a way for me to tell him how I feel before we have to face each other in the tournament. That way we could clear the air between us and have a great match. Yeah right. If I tell him how I feel, I'll end up ruining everything. He'll probably tell me he doesn't care about me in the same way, and I'll end up looking like a total idiot!_

She had flattened Kazu in the first semifinal round, which had taken place earlier that day. That had left her no choice but to face Ryo in the last match.

_I should be happy about the fact that I've made it this far, but I'm not. In fact, I'm starting to wish I'd never entered the tournament to begin with. This whole thing is going to end in disaster!_

She had a sudden desire to turn around and run away from the park as fast as she could, but she made herself stay where she was. After all, she could not give Ryo the satisfaction of seeing just how much he had upset her.

"And the winner is...Ryo Akiyama!"

Rika glanced up at the slightly raised platform where Ryo had been sitting across from his opponent during the match. The Legendary Tamer was now standing, and he had an arm raised in victory. He smiled at the crowd, which was filled with his admirers, and they started to chant his name. Even the announcer was beaming at him!

"Pathetic," she muttered, glaring up at the announcer.

"The final match has been decided!" the announcer shouted into his microphone. "It's going to be the Legendary Tamer, Ryo Akiyama, versus the Digimon Queen, Rika Nonaka! Ladies and gentlemen, this is one final round you're not going to want to miss! Our two competitors will have twenty minutes to prepare themselves for their last match, so I suggest you all grab a bite to eat before the competition gets underway again. It might be a long time before we see another final like this one, so make sure you're back in time for the action!"

"Thanks a lot," Rika muttered, glaring at the raven-haired boy who had just been defeated by Ryo.

"Hey, Rika? I really think you should talk to Ryo before you face him in the final round otherwise you won't be able to concentrate on playing your best," Jeri said softly in her ear.

Rika jumped in surprise and turned to look at her fellow female Tamer. She had almost forgotten Jeri had come with her to watch the rest of Ryo's match. Takato and the others were still somewhere at the back of the crowd, and she was glad. They would have only made things even more difficult for her.

"Sorry, Jeri, but I don't think I'm going to be able to do that," she said softly.

"You don't really have a choice anymore," Jeri murmured.

Rika frowned and stared at her friend in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I think Ryo has already decided you're going to talk to him, whether you want to or not. Look. He's heading this way."

Rika jerked her head up and found herself gazing into Ryo's eyes. Jeri was right. Ryo had stepped off the raised platform and he was making his way through the crowd towards her.

She felt a sudden stab of panic and started to back away from the platform. Unfortunately Jeri seemed to realize what she was doing because her friend grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words died in her throat. Ryo had just stepped in front of her, and she found herself unable to look away from him. His light blue eyes were burning with emotion, and his face looked very serious.

"Rika, I need to talk to you before our match starts," he said quietly.

She jumped in surprise and stared at him.

_Has he been thinking the exact same thing I've been thinking? Impossible. There's no way he could feel the same way I feel..._

She was about to tell him to get out of her face, but Jeri suddenly gave her a push, and she nearly stumbled right into him.

"Of course she'll talk to you," Jeri said, beaming at him. "I'll go keep Takato and the others busy. That'll give you two a chance to talk without being interrupted."

"What?" Rika shouted, her face turning red. She glared at Jeri and gave Ryo a suspicious look. "Who said I wanted to talk to him?"

Jeri laughed and winked at her. "I'll see you later, Rika. Have a good time!"

"How can you do this to me?" she shrieked, giving her friend a dirty look.

Jeri did not reply. Instead, she headed off towards Takato and the others, pausing only long enough to wave.

Rika glared at Jeri's back and crossed her arms. "Some friend."

"Come on," Ryo said quietly, ignoring the group of screaming girls who had gathered around him. "Let's find some place quiet where we can talk."

"Why? Obviously you have better things to do with your time! Your fan club is waiting for you. I'm sure you don't want to disappoint them!"

"I don't care!" Ryo said stubbornly. "You're the one I want to talk to, and I'm not going to wait any longer!"

He grabbed her hand, and she found herself being pulled away from the crowd. His fingers were warm against her skin, and she blushed. "Will you let go of me? I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own two feet, thank you very much! Why does everybody keep dragging me around all the time?"

"If you weren't so stubborn, we wouldn't have to drag you around!"

Rika glared at him and froze when she realized they were standing at the edge of the forest in almost the exact same spot where they had been sitting with their friends yesterday. She leaned against a tree trunk and studied Ryo's face. He looked very serious and a little bit uncertain.

_This is definitely not normal Ryo behaviour. What does he want to talk to me about?_

"What do you want?" she asked quietly.

Ryo sat down in front of her on a fallen log and rested his chin in his hands. "I was going to wait until after the tournament to tell you this, but I think it's better if I tell you now. Besides, I can't wait anymore."

Rika hesitated and slowly sat down next to him. "What is it?" she asked, her heart pounding with sudden excitement.

_I can't believe it! Is he really going to tell me he does care about me after all?_

Ryo smiled at her and reached out to take her hand again. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend that much time with you since we came back from the Digital World. It's not because I don't want to. I do. It's just...something always comes up. I know you think I like having all those people following me around, but I don't. I just want to spend time with you and the others. You guys are my real friends, and nothing is ever going to change that."

Rika felt her heart fill with disappointment, and she let out a sigh.

_He only wanted to apologize for hanging out with his fan club instead of us. I should have known this was going to happen. I'm so stupid! How could I have ever thought he was about to reveal his true feelings for me. He's never going to care about me in the same way I care about him..._

Ryo suddenly squeezed her hand, and she looked up at him in surprise. Somehow he had moved closer to her without her realizing it. The warmth of his skin made goosebumps break out on her arms, and she leaned against his side. It felt...nice.

"Rika, what's wrong?" he asked, looking concerned. His blue eyes had grown cloudy, and he seemed a little anxious.

She felt a sudden wave of sympathy for him and gently ran her fingers across the back of his hand. It must have been hard for him to spend so much time away from his friends.

"Nothing," she said softly. "Listen, Ryo, as much as I hate to say this, I'm sorry, too. I should have made more of an effort to hang out with you, but you know me. I have too much pride and not enough common sense."

"Now that's something we can definitely agree on!"

She glared at him and punched him in the chest. "Shut up, Ryo! I'm trying to apologize here, and you're not making this any easier for me!"

"Sorry," he replied, looking amused.

"That's better."

She rested her cheek against his shoulder and smiled when she felt him jump. He was obviously surprised by her sudden affection, but she chose to ignore that. She was never going have another chance to get this close to him again, and she was going to make good use of it. "So, I guess it's safe to say we're friends again," she said quietly. There was no enthusiasm in her voice, and she did not even try to smile. Friendship was the last thing she wanted with him, but it did not look like she was going to have any say in the matter.

_Well, I guess friendship is better than nothing._

The thought did not cheer her up very much. If anything, it made her feel even worse.

Ryo's eyes filled with sudden sadness, and he gently placed a hand against her cheek. "What if I don't want to be friends?" he whispered, gazing deeply into her eyes.

She jerked away from him and let out a gasp. "What do you mean by that?"

_No way. This isn't possible. He can't be saying what I think he's saying...can he?_

Ryo continued to stare at her and did not reply.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Rika, how do you really feel about me?" he asked quietly.

Rika felt her face heat up, and she stared at him in horror.

_He knows! I can't believe this! How did he find out? I know Jeri didn't tell him. This can't be happening! It just can't! What am I going to do? I'm never going to be able to show my face in public again, and what about Ryo? What if I've lost him for good this time?_

She tried to run, but Ryo caught hold of her arm and pulled her against his chest. She struggled in his arms for a moment and finally collapsed against him. Her eyes filled with tears, and she hid her face against his shoulder to hide them.

"I hate you," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Ryo wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I knew I couldn't have been imagining things," he said softly into her hair. His voice was shaking, and he seemed unable to believe what was happening between them. "Last night, I felt something between us, and I know you felt it, too. This isn't something we can just ignore."

Rika's eyes widened in shock, and she slowly looked up at him. "What...what are you saying?" she whispered, feeling confused. Her heart was pounding so fast, she was amazed her rib cage was still intact. She knew Ryo could feel her heart beating, and she could feel his. The sound rang in her ears and made her unable to think straight.

Ryo gently took her face in his hands, and he smiled at her. Their foreheads touched, and she swallowed a gasp. She could feel his warm breath against her skin, and it made her knees feel weak. It was a good thing she was sitting down. If she had been standing, she would have ended up falling on the ground.

"Ryo-"

Ryo placed a finger against her lips and shook his head. "No," he whispered. "I want to explain a few things first. When I look at you, everyone else around me fades away. You have this effect on me that I can't even begin to describe. I love everything about you, including the way you argue with me all the time. You make me laugh, and you make me smile. You make me feel things I've never felt for any other girl. I can still remember the day I first laid eyes on you. It was at the digimon tournament a few years ago, remember? I thought you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, but most of all, I loved your confidence. You never back down from a challenge, even when the odds are against you. Ever since that day, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I knew then I was falling in love with you, and there was nothing I could do to stop my feelings from completely overwhelming me. I'm sorry, Rika, but I had to say something now, before our final match of the tournament. I don't want it to end up tearing us apart."

Rika stared at him in shock, and her whole body began to tremble. She quickly pulled away from him and did the only thing she could think of. She slapped him hard across the face.

Ryo slowly raised a hand to his cheek and gazed calmly into her eyes. "What was that for?"

"That was for making me love you," she whispered, her voice shaking.

All of the emotions she had been trying to hide from him earlier seem to be bursting out of her, and there was nothing she could do about it. She felt Ryo's arms go around her again, and she slowly looked up at him.

"I should have expected that," he said dryly. "Well, I suppose it could have been worse. You could have kicked me right between the legs!"

Rika blushed and hid her face against his chest. "I was tempted to!" she muttered.

Ryo hugged her tightly and gently ran his fingers through her hair. "No surprise there. Hey, Rika? Did you really mean what you said earlier?" His voice sounded uncertain again, and she could feel his heart beating against her chest.

"Yes, and it's all your fault!"

"Of course it is," he said softly. "I know you might not think so, but I meant what I said, too."

Rika smiled and gently placed a hand against the back of his neck. His skin was covered in goosebumps, and she knew then that he was being serious.

"Why didn't you tell me all of this a long time ago?" she asked softly.

"I wanted to, but I thought that if I did, you'd never want to speak to me again," he whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

She smiled at him and gently wrapped her arms around his neck. "Jeri knows how I feel about you."

Ryo started to laugh, and he shook his head. "That explains why she's been acting so mysterious lately. I can't believe she didn't tell me!"

"I made her promise not to."

Ryo smiled slightly and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I made Henry and the others promise the same thing. Kazu was actually the one who convinced me to talk to you!"

"You're kidding!" she shrieked, pulling back and glaring up at him. "Those boys knew, and they didn't tell me? When I get my hands on them-"

"Forget them," Ryo whispered softly in her ear. "Right now I want to talk about us."

She rested her head against his chest and frowned. "What is there left to talk about?"

_This must be a dream. Any minute now I'm going to wake up._

Ryo held her tightly in his arms, and she closed her eyes. The warmth of his body was comforting, and it made her smile.

_Please don't let this be a dream..._

"Rika, I really care about you, and I want things to work out between us," he said quietly. "Do you think we can start over again?"

"Yes," she whispered. Her eyes began to fill with tears again, and she hugged him tightly.

_There are always second chances, Ryo. We just have to make sure we don't let them pass us by._

Ryo let out an obvious sigh of relief and managed a shaky smile. He had been holding his breath, and it was only now that she felt him start to relax.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that. I might have a lot of fans, Rika, but none of them will ever bring me as much happiness as you do."

Rika slowly got to her feet and held out a hand to him. He took it, and they stood under the trees with their arms around each other.

_This is really happening. How did I get to be so lucky?_

"We'll work things out," she whispered, gazing into his eyes.

"Do you know how badly I've wanted to hear you say that? Do you know how often I've dreamed of hearing you say you love me?"

"Yes," she murmured. "I know because I've wanted to hear you say the same thing."

Ryo kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. "Listen, Rika, I know we're still pretty young, but I have a good feeling about us."

She shivered at the touch of his lips and sighed. "Me, too. I guess only time will tell, but somehow I just know everything's going to turn out alright. There's only one thing standing in our way."

Ryo raised his eyebrows and gave her a look. "What's that?"

"We still have to compete against each other in the tournament."

Ryo nodded and gave her a wicked smile. "You're right. Let's make this a real challenge. If I win, you have to be my girlfriend!"

Rika crossed her arms and glared at him. "Fine, but if I win, then you have to be my boyfriend!"

He smiled at her and gently touched her cheek. "Everyone's a winner," he said softly. "I accept your challenge, and may the best Tamer win."

She stared at him for a moment, and a small smile slipped across her face. "Well? Aren't we going to make this challenge official?"

"How are we supposed to do that?" he said dryly.

She smiled innocently at him and shrugged. "I don't think a handshake is what either one of us has in mind. I was thinking something more along the lines of this!"

Before he could say anything, she leaned over and gently kissed him on the lips.

"May the best Tamer win," she whispered softly, pulling back slightly so she could gaze into his eyes.

The feel of his lips against her own was the most amazing thing she had ever experienced, and in her heart, she knew the kiss she had just experienced was one memory that was never going to fade away.

"You read my mind," Ryo whispered in her ear.

He pulled her close again, and they sealed the bargain with another kiss.

"Remind me to thank Kazu later," she murmured. "He's never going to let me hear the end of this!"

"No kidding!" Ryo laughed.

Rika closed her eyes and let the warmth of Ryo's body wash over her. For the first time in her life, she was almost looking forward to losing. In the end, she had gotten what she had wanted all along, and that was more important than any tournament. It did not matter who won their match. They were both going to walk away from the tournament as winners, and that was the best part of all.

The End


End file.
